Psalm 10

1 Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? why dost thou overlook us in times of need, in affliction?

2 While the ungodly one acts proudly, the poor is hotly pursued: the wicked are taken in the crafty counsels which they imagine.

3 Because the sinner praises himself for the desires of his heart; and the unjust one blesses himself.

4 The sinner has provoked the Lord: according to the abundance of his pride he will not seek after him: God is not before him.

5 His ways are profane at all times; thy judgments are removed from before him: he will gain the mastery over all his enemies.

6 For he has said in his heart, I shall not be moved, continuing without evil from generation to generation.

7 Whose mouth is full of cursing, and bitterness, and fraud: under his tongue are trouble and pain.

8 He lies in wait with rich men in secret places, in order to slay the innocent: his eyes are set against the poor.

9 He lies in wait in secret as a lion in his den: he lies in wait to ravish the poor, to ravish the poor when he draws him after him: he will bring him down in his snare.

10 He will bow down and fall when he has mastered the poor.

11 For he has said in his heart, God has forgotten: he has turned away his face so as never to look.

12 Arise, O Lord God; let thy hand be lifted up: forget not the poor.

13 Wherefore, has the wicked provoked God? for he has said in his heart, He will not require it.

14 Thou seest it; for thou dost observe trouble and wrath, to deliver them into thy hands: the poor has been left to thee; thou wast a helper to the orphan.

15 Break thou the arm of the sinner and wicked man: his sin shall be sought for, and shall not be found.

16 The Lord shall reign for ever, even for ever and ever: ye Gentiles shall perish out his land.

17 The Lord has heard the desire of the poor: thine ear has inclined to the preparation of their heart;

18 to plead for the orphan and afflicted, that man may no more boast upon the earth.

Psalm 10 Commentary

Chapter 10

The psalmist complains of the wickedness of the wicked. (1-11) He prays to God to appear for the relief of his people. (12-18)

Verses 1-11 God's withdrawings are very grievous to his people, especially in times of trouble. We stand afar off from God by our unbelief, and then complain that God stands afar off from us. Passionate words against bad men do more hurt than good; if we speak of their badness, let it be to the Lord in prayer; he can make them better. The sinner proudly glories in his power and success. Wicked people will not seek after God, that is, will not call upon him. They live without prayer, and that is living without God. They have many thoughts, many objects and devices, but think not of the Lord in any of them; they have no submission to his will, nor aim for his glory. The cause of this is pride. Men think it below them to be religious. They could not break all the laws of justice and goodness toward man, if they had not first shaken off all sense of religion.

Verses 12-18 The psalmist speaks with astonishment, at the wickedness of the wicked, and at the patience and forbearance of God. God prepares the heart for prayer, by kindling holy desires, and strengthening our most holy faith, fixing the thoughts, and raising the affections, and then he graciously accepts the prayer. The preparation of the heart is from the Lord, and we must seek unto him for it. Let the poor, afflicted, persecuted, or tempted believer recollect, that Satan is the prince of this world, and that he is the father of all the ungodly. The children of God cannot expect kindness, truth, or justice from such persons as crucified the Lord of glory. But this once suffering Jesus, now reigns as King over all the earth, and of his dominion there shall be no end. Let us commit ourselves unto him, humbly trusting in his mercy. He will rescue the believer from every temptation, and break the arm of every wicked oppressor, and bruise Satan under our feet shortly. But in heaven alone will all sin and temptation be shut out, though in this life the believer has a foretaste of deliverance.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 10

This psalm in the Septuagint version, and those that follow it, is a part and continuation of the preceding psalm, and makes but one with it; hence in these versions the number of the following psalms differ from others, and what is the eleventh with others is the tenth with them, and so on to the hundred fourteenth and one hundred fifteenth, which also are put into one; but in order to make up the whole number of one hundred and fifty, the hundred sixteenth and the hundred forty seventh are both divided into two; and indeed the subject of this psalm is much the same with the former. Antichrist and antichristian times are very manifestly described; the impiety, blasphemy, and atheism of the man of sin; his pride, haughtiness, boasting of himself, and presumption of security; his persecution of the poor, and murder of innocents, are plainly pointed at; nor does the character of the man of the earth agree to well to any as to him: his times are times of trouble; but at the end of them the kingdom of Christ will appear in great glory, when the Gentiles, the antichristian nations, will perish out of his land, Ps 10:1-11,16,18.